WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University is now accepting applications for its new PhD program in Biological and Chemical Sciences (BCS), which will launch in September 2014. The interdisciplinary doctoral program is offered jointly by Laurier’s Departments of Biology and Chemistry and Biochemistry and aims to help students answer those questions that cannot simply be described as ‘biological,’ ‘chemical’ or ‘biochemical.’

“Traditionally, people have been trained in sub-disciplines of chemistry and biology. However, an increasing number of research problems in the natural sciences today and in the future require more collaboration between the disciplines,” said Matthew Smith, associate professor, Department of Biology. “Our goal is to train students to become independent researchers who can work at the interface of chemistry and biology and provide more holistic solutions to global problems.”

The BCS doctoral program operates on an apprenticeship model where students work closely with a faculty supervisor whose expertise lies in one or more of these areas of identified research strengths: environment and health, biotic interactions, and structure and reactivity. The research component of the program is complemented by coursework that is designed to emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to biological and chemical research.

“This PhD program brings together several strong and vigorous research programs in biology and chemistry, and enhances the culture of collaborative research within the Faculty of Science,” said Masoud Jelokhani-Niaraki, professor and chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. “In this program, we envision an interactive, innovative and lively research environment with students and faculty working in unison on challenging scientific problems.”

For more information on the program, including information on the admission process, please click here.